Dual roll package and method of forming the same



NOV. 4, 1969 w, wmg -r ETAL 3,476,238

DUAL ROLL PACKAGE AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME Filed Feb. 13, 1968 ZOFIG. 7

'2 INVENTORS A I $L 24 1 42 MERRILL w. WRIGHT I WALTER E. KNAPP L 26 w 22 30 Mi ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,476,238 DUAL ROLL PACKAGE AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME Merrill W. Wright, Auburn, and Walter E. Knapp,

Worcester, Mass., assignors to G. F. Wright Steel & Wire Company, Worcester, Mass., :1 corporation of Massachusetts Filed Feb. 13, 1968, Ser. No. 705,128 Int. Cl. B65d 85/04, 85/66, 85/67 US. Cl. 20659 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Prior art The closest prior art is United States Patent 2,721,653 dated Oct. 25, 1955 (Billinger) in which two rolls of wire fabric are connected together by an intermediate strip thereof, the difference in the packages being that in the United States Patent 2,721,653 the terminal and leading ends of the wire are both located at the cores of the cylindrical coils or rolls of wire; whereas in the present case, one of the ends is at the center of the roll, but the other end is at the outside of the roll where it is more easily available.

Summary of the invention This invention relates to a single length dual package of strip material, e.g., wire fabric, textiles, plastic fiber, felts, paper, etc., but is not limited to any particular material except in strip form. The new package comprises a pair of rolls of the material, the rolls being connected by a portion thereof intermediate its ends, so that the material can be used as a single long length, or cut apart for a single relatively short length, or a single intermediate length, and the principal object of the invention resides in the provision of this package and a method for forming the same, particularly wherein the package has an end of the strip on the outside of a roll but located in position where the cut ends thereof are not apparent.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the package;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the first step in forming the triple roll, and

FIGS. 3 to 7 inclusive are similar views which illustrate the entire formation of the package.

Description of the preferred embodiment As shown in FIG. 1, the package comprises essentially a pair of rolls of material in strip form, the rolls being connected. One roll may be larger than the other as indicated at 10 and the smaller roll at 12, although the invention also contemplates making the rolls of equal length.

The initial end of the roll 10 is indicated at 14 and is located in the center of the roll, whereas the terminal end of the roll is associated with the roll 12 and is indicated at 16 at the outside aspect of the smaller roll 12. This terminal end portion is preferably tucked under an intermediate portion of the material, as indicated at 18, so that the cut ends thereof are not exposed and therefore cannot do any damage as might be the case with certain materials. The initial end 14 is of course in the center of the roll 10 and is thus also in protected position.

In order to form the package described, reference is made to FIGS. 2 to 7 inclusive. The arrows in FIGS. 2, 5 and 7 indicate motion both of the strip and the split takeup arbor 24. The reference numeral 20 indicates a pin roll over which the strip material 22 is received directly from a'supply or source. The split takeup arbor 24 has a split indicated at 26 for engaging the material to roll it when so engaged and rotated. Adjacent the position of the split takeup arborthere is provided a cradle which may be merely a trough or it may be formed by rollers 28 arranged on an arc and just to the right of the cradle is a trough or the like generally indicated at 30.

The strip 22 travels in the direction of the arrows over the pin roll 20 to a position wherein it is engaged by the split takeup arbor 24 which rotates in the direction of the curved arrow, FIG. 2. The takeup roll moves axially to engage and disengage the strip and rotates to roll it,

as well known in the art.

Having engaged the leading end 14 of the strip, the arbor rolls it a plurality of times, to form a roll longer than desired for roll 10, see FIG. 2.

In FIG. 3 the arbor is shown in dotted lines indicating it has been retracted and the too large roll indicated at 32 has now been moved to the cradle 28, out of alignment with the arbor, but the strip is not severed. When the oversized roll 32 has been received in the cradle 28, the arbor 24 once more advances and engages the strip in the area 34 between roll 32 and pin roll 20, as clearly shown in FIG. 4.

The arbor is then rotated in its original direction, FIG. 5, and rolls up a roll the size desired for the smaller roll 12, see FIG. 1. This action causes the fabric to be drawn in over the pin roll 20 as at 36 and also an equal amount is drawn in from the all-ready rolled over size roll 32 on cradle 28, as is indicated at 38, so that at the end of this rotation of the split arbor 24, the roll on it is roll 12, and the roll 32 has been now reduced to the size desired for roll 10, the two rolls being connected by an intermediate portion of the strip material at 38.

The roll 32, now however roll 10, is moved into the trough 30 and roll 12 being disengaged by retraction of the split arbor 24 is positioned in the cradle 28, see FIG. 6. At this point the ends at 40 are severed by a nibbler or the like, and the leading end for the next package indicated at 42 is engaged with the split arbor 24. Then by moving roll 12 in a counter-clockwise direction, FIG. 7, the intermediate connecting strip material 38 is reduced in length and the end 40 becomes tucked under it as is clearly shown in FIG. 1. However, the terminal end portion 16 which is equivalent to that at 40 is covered by the intermediate strip 18 now the equivalent of the area at 38 in FIG. 6.

We claim:

Ties of any kind desired such as at 42 may be provided to hold the rolls in the position shown completing the package, and the arbor once more starts to turn to form another oversize roll, thereby continuing the process for subsequent production.

1. A dual roll package of material in a single strip comprising two connected rolls, one terminal end of the strip being located centrally of one of said rolls, and the other end being located at the outside aspect of the other portion of said strip, which can be severed, forming one roll with an end in the center thereof and an end exterior thereof, and the other roll with both ends exterior.

2. The package of claim 1 wherein the rolls are of ditferent length.

3. The package of claim 1 wherein the rolls are of substantially equal length.

4. The package of claim 1 wherein the end of the strip that is on the outside aspect of its roll underlies a portion of the intermediate portion of the strip that connects the rolls.

5. The package of claim 1 wherein the intermediate portion of the strip which connects the rolls lies between adjacent circumferential portions of said rolls.

6. The package of claim 1 wherein the intermediate portion of the strip which connects the rolls lies between adjacent circumferential portions of said rolls and is tangent to both rolls.

7. A method of forming a dual roll package from a source of material in single strip form, into two rolls of predetermined length, which comprises rolling a strip from the source into one roll larger than the predetermined final size thereof, then rolling a connected portion of the strip into a second roll of predetermined final size, by simultaneously drawing material for said second roll both from the source of supply and from said one roll, and severing the strip forming the two rolls from the source.

8. The method of claim 7 including the step of thereafter turning the second-formed roll slightly with relation t0 the first roll positioning the severed end of the second roll under the portion of the strip which extends between the two rolls, so that said severed end is covered.

9. The method of making a package of two interconnected rolls of wire fabric from a source of supply in strip form comprising rolling a strip of fabric upon itself with the end thereof in the center of the thus-formed roll and continuing rolling past a predetermined point, making an oversize roll, then rolling a second roll of the same strip between the oversize roll and the source of supply of the strip in a direction to cause the second roll to receive fabric both from the oversize roll, reducing the latter to desired size, and from the the source of supply at the same time, and severing the fabric adjacent the second formed roll to sever it from the source of supply when both rolls are -of desired size.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,195,008 3/1940 Lessrnann 242-55.l6

2,721,653 10/1955 Billinger 20659 2,732,063 1/1956 Dedek et al. 206-59 2,879,992 3/ 1959 Renery et al. 24255.16

FOREIGN PATENTS 211,858 8/1908 Germany.

WILLIAM T. DIXSON, J 11., Primary Examiner U.S, Cl. X.R. 242 

